Seal.



S. D. HEDGE. SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24. 1915.

1,179,005. I Patented Apr. 11,1916.

UNTTED sTATss PATENT omen SILAS I). HEDGE, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 ACME SEAL COMPANY,

0F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE. v

SEAL.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SILAs DEXTER HEDGE, of Boston, in the county of Suolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seals, of which the following is a specication.

My invention has reference to improvements in that class of seals Vwhich are particularly adapted to be employed for sealing cars, cases and the like.

The main objects of provide a seal, of this character, which is very simple in construction, may be readily applied, and once applied cannot be removed without destroying it beyond repair, and is sufliciently strong to withstand a considerable amount of rough usage without accidental breaking.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description.

The invention consists in such novel features' of construction and combination of parts as shall hereinafter be described and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings -Figure 1 represents a view in perspective of a seal embodying my invention applied to a common form of hasp and staple to be locked by a padlock. Fig. 2 represents an enlarged sectional view of same, taken on the plane 2-2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 represents a sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the plane 3-'3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a side view of the locking disk, hereinafter described. Fig. 5 represents a side view of the male locking member or key, hereinafter described.

VLike characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout. v

The female member F of the seal is provided with the casing 10, which is preferably cylindrical in form and is securely closed by the cover 1l. Closely fitting the inside of said casing is the disk 12. latter is provided with the radially disposed slot or recess 13, the outer end of which registers with the aperture 14 in the casing 10. Integral with said disk and extending into said recess, are the pair of spring arms 15, 15. The inner surfaces of their lower portions are inclined inwardly at 16 and their eXtreme ends 17 are beveled outwardly and upwardly. The inner end of the recess 13 is provided with the Vfshaped notch 18 in alinement with the space between said arms.

Specification 0f Letters Patent.

The v Patented'Apr. 11, 1916.

Application led April 24, 1915. Serial No. 23,740.

The key 20, made of sufficiently brittle material to prevent bending without breaklng, 1s provided with the head 21 and stem 22 at right angles thereto. Said stem is provided with the square shoulders 23, voutl wardly and upwardly beveled spurs or shoulders 24, and the V-shaped end 25.

The seal may be applied to the hasp H and staple S by passing the end of the key 20, through said staple, and into the member the invention are to F, (Figs. l, 2 and 3.)'. The end of the key enters the latter member through the aperture 14 in the casing 10 and into the recess 13. Enough force must be applied to the key, when its V-shaped end engages the inclined edges 16 of the spring arms 15, to spread the latter sufficiently to allow said end to pass by theends of said spring arms and into the V-shaped notch 18. It is to be noted that when the key is thus applied, a longitudinal pull on the latter will tend to make the beveled shoulders or spurs 24 thereon ride up on the beveled ends 17 of the spring arms 15, thereby forcing the latter inwardly, so that it is impossible to spread the spring arms by pulling on said key. Lateral movement ofthe key in any direction is prevented by the close fit of its V-shaped end 25 in the slot 18, by the close t of the portion of the key between the shoulders 23 and 24 in the' space between the spring arms 15, andby the closed side and cover of the casing 10. Bhe shoulders 23 and the notch 18 prevent inward movement of said key.

From the foregoing. it will be observed that it is impossible to materially move the key in any. direction after it has been applied, and that the hasp H cannot be swung from the staple S without first separating at least the head 21 from the member F.

At 26, the key is weakened, so that when it is desired to break the seal it may readily be accomplished.

The size and shape of the head 21fadapts it to receive thereon a suitable identification number, date, or other impression.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, it will be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential except so fai` as specified in the claims, and may be changed or modified of the invention.

lll

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A seal, comprising a casing, a locking member closely fitting the inside thereof and made from a single flat sheet of resilient metal, a pair of inwardly projecting spring arms formed on said locking 'member by cutting away a portion thereof, a male locking member having an end adapted to be forced between said spring arms, shoulders thereon adapted to engage the free ends of said spring arms, and means for limiting the inward movement thereof, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A seal, comprising a casing, a locking member closely fitting the inside thereof and locking member, shoulders on said male locking member adapted to engage the free Y ends o-f said spring arms, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

SILAS D. HEDGE. Vitnesses:

C. MOODY RYAN, R. K. FRASER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissionerl of Patents, Washington, ID. C. 

